How do you write a motivation letter for a bursary?

Answer 1

Dear sir/ Madam,

With this letter, I would like to apply for the ........ Tuition Grant for the ,,,,,,,,,, program in at UNI in NY, which will start October 2nd 2008.

I studied XXX, from 2001-2005, at The Haarlem Business School in Holland, where I obtained a bachelor's degree. In 2005/ 2006 I attended the 8-week program at the UNI.

Those 8 weeks changed my life. It became clear to me that filmmaking really is my passion and that this is what I want to do the rest of my life. I learned so much in just 8 weeks, much more then I imagined possible in such a short time. After the program I worked as an intern at XXX in NY. This helped me to enhance my theoretical knowledge with practical experiences. The film won the XXXXl in 2007, which made it an extra special experience having worked on it.

In 2007 I moved to Argentina where I learned Spanish and worked on a film project at XXXX productions. In that period I also developed a love for movie trailers. They can make us laugh, thrill us, anger us, and leave us with goose bumps all within two minutes. I see it as a challenge to leave an impression or feeling behind in such a short time. Making a good trailer can be the start of making a good movie as trailers can be used to raise funding for a film before it is even shot.

It can be the way for me to achieve my goal; starting small and eventually make it big.

During my travels I started writing down my ideas and experiences with the intention of getting them on screen. I came to the subtle realization that I do not know or understand nearly as much as I would like to or have envisioned myself knowing. There is much more I need to learn to realize my dream and direct those stories into good movies. I want to be the best I can be and as a woman I feel the need to prove myself even more since the majority of great directors consists of men. But when people ask me why I choose such a difficult line of work to get into my answer is a standard one: I chose film, because I believe I can excel in it.

I want to go to UNI because I am interested in exploring the world, looking for opportunities. The knowledge, skills and experiences that I benefit from the program will contribute greatly to my future career. A terrific benefit of this course is not only to boost chance of my future international career but also I will have opportunities to meet people from various nations and cultures, offering me different points of view and contributing to my flexibility and creativity, besides the cultural and language gains. I believe that life is not just about sitting and planning rather it is more importantly, about going out and implementing.

The XXX program at UNI is one of the few that offers me the opportunity to enhance my knowledge in film in such a way that I would be ready to make a real contribution to the industry after one year, opposed to other universities where the film programs mainly take two years or more. This is not only impossible financially but I prefer the hands-on, practical way of learning that is offered at UNI.

There is one blockage at this stage, in my having a great learning experience at UNI: funding of expenses. At this point in my life I am independent and responsible for my own expenses. It is very difficult for me to raise funds from any organizations, as they mainly fund students who are Canadian or US Citizens. As for Dutch organizations it is hard to get funding for a private learning facility like the UNI. A second problem is my living expenses. I have a student visa; therefore I will not be able to work in the US during my year in school. I will have to invest a great part of my savings in living expenses. My stay in New York is partly being funded through a student loan taken from the Dutch Government. Hence, I would certainly need financial aid in the form of a grant to help pay for my tuition.

I hope that I will be accepted as an applicant and a beneficiary of the XXX Tuition Grant for the 2008-2009 program. I am confident that I am qualified and will get everything out of my time at the New York Film Academy. I would be grateful if you could give my application your most favorable consideration.

Yours faithfully